Abstract: The present invention relates to a portable device configured to interact with any number of host computing devices. In operation, the portable device will initially appear to a host computing device as a known device type. The host computing device will be configured to interact with the portable device as the known device type. Upon such interaction, the host computing device will access indicia sufficient to identify the portable device as a second device type and instruct the host computing device to configure itself to interact with the portable device as the second device type.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a portable device configured to interact with any number of host computing devices. In operation, the portable device will initially appear to a host computing device as a known device type. The host computing device will be configured to interact with the portable device as the known device type. Upon such interaction, the host computing device will access indicia sufficient to identify the portable device as a second device type and instruct the host computing device to configure itself to interact with the portable device as the second device type.

Abstract: A method of forming an implantable and retrievable immunoisolatory vehicle is disclosed, the method comprising the steps of first forming a jacket of biocompatible thermoplastic or hydrogel, and then loading the jacket with a core comprising a volume of at least 1 .mu.l and at least 10.sup.4 cells capable of secreting a biocompatible matrix comprising a hydrogel or extracellular matrix, said jacket having a molecular weight cutoff permitting passage of molecules thereacross to provide said biologically active product or said function.

Abstract: A process for purifying crude dicyclopentadiene which comprises the steps of: cracking the crude dicyclopentadiene to form a monomeric-containing effluent which comprises at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of: C.sub.4 acyclic dienes, C.sub.5 acyclic dienes, cyclopentadiene and methylcyclopentadiene; separating the monomeric-containing effluent into a cyclopentadiene-enriched stream and a cyclopentadiene-poor stream; dimerizing the cyclopentadiene-enriched stream to form a dimerizer effluent; contacting a membrane separator under pervaporation conditions with the dimerizer effluent wherein the C.sub.4 acyclic dienes, C.sub.5 acyclic dienes and cyclopentadiene permeate through the membrane separator and wherein a dicyclopentadiene product having a purity of at least about 98% is retained as retentate.

Abstract: Carbonaceous solids such as coal and oil shale are fed to a high temperature processing vessel without bridging and plugging problems interrupting the flow of the solids into the processing vessel by passing the solids at a controlled rate from a feed vessel into a first conduit communicating with the feed vessel. The solids are then passed through the first conduit into a second conduit which communicates with the first conduit and the processing vessel, and which contains a scraper for scraping the inside walls of the conduit. The pressure in the feed vessel is maintained at a level higher than that in the processing vessel by passing a sufficient amount of a gas into the feed vessel such that the solids are passed through the second conduit into the processing vessel in dense phase pneumatic flow as the scraper scrapes the inside walls of the second conduit thereby preventing any bridging or plugging from occurring.

Abstract: In a coal gasification operation or similar conversion process carried out in the presence of an alkali metal-containing catalyst wherein solid particles containing alkali metal residues are produced, alkali metal constituents are recovered for the particles by contacting or washing them with an aqueous solution containing calcium or magnesium ions in an alkali metal recovery zone at a low temperature, preferably below about 249.degree. F. During the washing or leaching process, the calcium or magnesium ions displace alkali metal ions held by ion exchange sites in the particles thereby liberating the ions and producing an aqueous effluent containing alkali metal constituents. The aqueous effluent from the alkali metal recovery zone is then recycled to the conversion process where the alkali metal constituents serve as at least a portion of the alkali metal constituents which comprise the alkali metal-containing catalyst.

Abstract: In a coal gasification operation or similar conversion process carried out in the presence of an alkali metal-containing catalyst wherein solid particles containing alkali metal residues are produced in the gasifier or similar reaction zone, alkali metal constitutents are recovered from the particles by withdrawing and passing the particles from the reaction zone to an alkali metal recovery zone in the substantial absence of molecular oxygen and treating the particles in the recovery zone with water or an aqueous solution in the substantial absence of molecular oxygen. The solution formed by treating the particles in the recovery zone will contain water-soluble alkali metal constituents and is recycled to the conversion process where the alkali metal constituents serve as at least a portion of the alkali metal constituents which comprise the alkali metal-containing catalyst.